


Ushijima Wakatoshi Said Fairy Rights

by neonstardust



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Don't Let The Tags Fool You This Is Safe For Work, Fairy Yachi Hitoka, HQ Monster Lovin Weekend, HQ Monster Lovin Weekend 2020, Half-Giant Ushijima Wakatoshi, Is This Platonic? Is This Romantic? The Answer Is Yes, Monster Romance, Painting, Size Difference, They Discuss Attending A Rally For Fairy Rights But No Actual Protesting Or Rallying Occurs, Yachi Hitoka-centric, extreme size difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:15:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27024916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neonstardust/pseuds/neonstardust
Summary: One peace rally shouldn’t be too difficult, or at least, it wouldn’t be if Yachi weren't only fifteen centimeters tall on a good day.Lucky for her, Ushijima will always be there to lift her up, emotionally and—when she's carrying a heavy petition signup sheet—physically, too.In which, Yachi loses a fight with a paintbrush, and Ushijima lends a listening ear.
Relationships: Ushijima Wakatoshi & Yachi Hitoka, Ushijima Wakatoshi/Yachi Hitoka
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42
Collections: An Asexual's Guide to Monster Lovin Weekend: Because Maybe Hot Monsters want to be Called Beautiful Monsters Just One Time





	Ushijima Wakatoshi Said Fairy Rights

**Author's Note:**

> HQ Monster Lovin' Weekend - Prompt: Extreme Size Difference

Walking along the cardboard, Yachi lifts the paintbrush with all of her might. One end is heavier than the other, and it nearly topples her over. 

Ushijima reaches out and steadies her with one finger. 

“Thank you.” More carefully this time, she dips her brush in the paint. 

“You’re welcome.” He studies his own sign. “What should this say?” he asks. 

“It can say anything.” Yachi steps back to look at her own work. She never did like writing, and working with big supplies like this just makes it harder. Some of her kanji lean too far to one side. She puffs out her cheeks. This may take a while. 

Ushijima stares, his expression as blank as the enormous poster board before him. He makes no move to pick up his brush. His brows crease in concentration. As the silence drags on, he finally says, “I do not know enough on this subject to decide.”

“You really don’t need to think about it too hard,” Yachi says. “The signs aren’t as important as the people holding them, after all. Just try to think of something that when someone reads it,”—she holds up her hands, spreading them out in front of her as if a sign will materialize between them—”they think: we should add fairies to the monster registry.”

Ushijima nods. He picks up a paintbrush that is easily three times the size of Yachi, but it looks minuscule in his grasp. “I was not aware fairies need to be added.” He dips the bristles in the paint can. 

She wilts. “That’s what most people say,” she sighs. The paint can is too tall for her, so she dips her brush in the paint stuck to the lid. “These protests raise awareness to the issue.”

“What is the issue?” he asks. His question comes out sharp, almost like a rebuke, but there’s a gentle curiosity in his gaze. 

Tiptoeing around what she’s written so far, she starts on the next character. “Creatures on the monster registry receive special privileges that other creatures don’t. It started out as just protection from humans—similar to the endangered species list.” The hard edge of the brush digs into her wings. Gritting her teeth, she lifts it up higher. “Anyway, if you’re not recognized as an official ‘monster,’ you don’t qualify for assistance with housing, healthcare, or nutrition.” 

The next kanji has a half swirl. Planting her feet, she drags the brush before her, twisting sideways to get it in one long stroke. “Ah, there we go.” She adds the last line. 

Walking back to the lid, Yachi continues, “Almost every monster species is a minority group, but without being on the list, you’re treated as if you’re not a minority. I admit that we don’t need help with food or medicine, but it’s hard finding a good house when you’re this size.” She stares down at the wet paint. “Some people even joke that we should live in dollhouses... That’s why we need to raise awareness.”

Looking around his own house, built of towering beams and impossibly heavy stones, Ushijima mulls over this information. As a half-giant, he’s more acutely aware of construction challenges than many other creatures. Even at school, he can only fit into a few designated classrooms, and despite the massive size of the cafeteria, he’s often forced to eat outside to minimize the possibility of stepping on another student. 

Yachi thinks it’s almost ironic that someone twenty times her size could have such similar plights as her. 

Turning back to his sign, he adds the final character and lifts it up for her inspection.

“‘Add fairies to the monster registry,’“ she reads. “Well, that’s definitely straight to the point. Good work, Ushijima-san.”

“Thank you.” He sets it aside to dry. 

She smiles down at their milky reflections in the paint. “I should be thanking you. You’re going out of your way to help me with a protest that doesn’t even affect your species.” 

“It affects you,” Ushijima states. “That is reason enough for me to be a part of it.”

His words make her face feel warm. Hurriedly, she starts the next kanji. “S-sorry it’s taking so long. You can do something else while I finish up here.” 

Silently, he watches her work. Yachi reminds herself to breathe. It’s intimidating. She feels like she’ll make a million mistakes and humiliate herself beneath that intense gaze, but this is Ushijima. He would never make fun of her for messing up. In fact, she’s pretty sure he would offer to help her fix any mistakes with blunt sincerity. 

Feeling calmer, she tries to get into the rhythm of painting. The brush isn’t super heavy, but it is long—longer than she is tall. Her arms grow more tired by the second. 

Taking the cap off a water bottle, Ushijima fills it up and sets it down for her to drink. Before she has to ask, he holds out his hand to take the paintbrush, and she smiles. 

“I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate this,” she says. Stretching out her wings, she flies over to the bottle cap. “I wouldn’t be able to do any of this at my house.” She looks down into the water. A streak of purple paint stands out brightly on her reflection’s cheek. 

“That would be counterproductive,” he agrees. 

Yachi hums. The cap is just heavy enough to be uncomfortable to lift, so she dips her hands into it, cupping the water up to her mouth to drink. “Our homes are too small to make anything big enough to protest with. It’s almost like it’s by design. Without supplies, there can be no protest. I’m sure I’m just over thinking it.” She sighs. “It’s just hard not to over think it.”

Ushijima considers this. “What is your house like?”

“Oh, it’s nothing terrible.” She holds up her hands, as if she can ward away any inaccurate thoughts. “They design fairy homes like apartment complexes. We haven’t found small materials that are building code compliant yet, so we rely on cheap materials and have them built within the lobbies of regular-sized apartments. They’re okay,” she assures him. “I mean, they can be a bit cramped, and the privacy isn’t the best... It would be nice to have a yard for a change, too, but—”

“If you have to convince yourself it’s a decent house,” Ushijima says, “then it is not a decent house.”

“Oh.” Yachi pauses. The water drips through her fingers back into the cap. She can’t argue with that logic. Still, it doesn’t silence the little voice in the back of her head that tells her she’s asking for too much. 

Before she can stew in her thoughts, Ushijima says, “You are free to use my house as long as needed. There is ample space to accommodate protesting materials.”

Yachi giggles. “Ample space” is putting it lightly. She could fit an entire library of fairy books within his closet alone and still have extra room leftover. 

“I really appreciate it, Ushijima-san. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?” she asks. 

“No.” He closes the water bottle for her. A crease appears between his brows, and he stares into space for a second. “I believe that was an answer Ohira would call ‘close ended.’“

Yachi smiles patiently. “Elaborating helps to soften responses.”

“Words should not be soft,” he says. Still, he ponders the situation, taking her argument into account. 

It’s interesting to watch him think. Intimidating, even, but fascinating. He doesn’t fidget like Hinata or Yamaguchi, who gesture with their hands and scratch at their hair, nor does he look away like Tsukishima. Instead, he keeps his gaze straight forward, his hands still in his lap as if he’s merely in a daze. 

He reminders her most of Kageyama, but there is a greater intensity to his silence. He thinks over her questions with the same severity he would a life threatening situation.

Yachi once thought it was scary, but now she bites back a smile. Ushijima may not be the best speaker, but he’s a greater listener than she could ever ask for. He never makes her feel embarrassed for having silly insecurities. His very presence is calming, and she’s begun to treasure each moment with him, even the ones spent in comfortable silence.

Flying back over to her sign, she hauls the paintbrush upright. “When I have a hard time understanding things, I sometime speak them aloud. I’m not sure why, but saying them verbally helps me to reach the answers I’m looking for.” She tiptoes across the cardboard. “It might help clear your mind.”

“That is unnecessary,” he says. Standing up, he collects the newspaper they laid down to catch any paint spillage. “Closed ended responses are the most efficient. However, while words have no need for softness, Ohira says tone does. I will improve on that aspect next time.”

Yachi nods. “I’m going to make it up to you next time then, too.”

“That is also unnecessary.” Finished with the newspaper, he adds more to paint on the lid for her to use. “I am not doing you a favor that needs to be repaid. I simply want to help you.”

“I simply want to make it up to you,” she cheeks. The words are true, though. Ushijima is always there for her without hesitation. She wants do more for him so he knows how much he means to her. 

The response gives him pause. For a moment, he looks like he wants to argue, but then his features relax. He nods. “In that case, please tell me more about fairy rights.”

“Huh?” Yachi nearly drops her brush. “Oh, no, you don’t need to—I was just rambling earlier. I don’t want to waste your time. I know you have better things to do—”

“Things you are passionate about are not a waste of time,” he interjects. He sits down a decent distance away to ensure he doesn’t accidentally bump her. “You are important to me.” Placing his hands on his knees, he looks her directly in the eye. “Therefore, the things that are important to you are important to me.” 

Yachi’s jaw drops, and the paintbrush slips out of her hands. Her cheeks burns. Covering her face, she tries to think of something to say, but all she can think of is the warmth beneath her fingertips—in her chest—and his words, echoing over and over in her head. 

Ushijima picks up the bottle. “Do you need more water?”

She stares up at him. “You’re too good for this world,” she mumbles. How can such a kind being exist? She thinks her heart might explode, and for once it has nothing to do with her anxiety. “What,” she stutters, “would you like to know?”

“I have no knowledge on the subject.” Inclining his head, he says, “Please tell me anything you like.”

 _I like you._. Her face burning even brighter, Yachi tries to distract herself by picking up her brush and resuming her work. “I’ll tell you everything I know,” she promises. “Then”—she chews her lip—“will you tell me all about you?”

He opens his mouth, the word “no” forming on his lips, but then he pauses. He almost seems to smile when he says, “I will be happy to.”


End file.
